Bee pollen is one of the so-called ‘superfoods’. Eikenaar of the Nutrition Center says: “Superfoods are said to have all kinds of positive effects on health due to their high content of good nutrients and antioxidants. But claimed health effects of superfoods are generally not sufficiently scientifically substantiated. No single food can provide all the essential nutrients the body needs.”
Bee pollen, for example, contains niacin (vitamin B3) and thiamine (vitamin B1), but that is also found in grain products, meat and vegetables. “A varied and healthy diet is the best way to get all the important nutrients,” says Eikenaar.
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Risks
Bee pollen can also entail two risks, explains Dijkstra. “It has pollen in it. If you are allergic to it, you can have an allergic reaction to bee pollen.”
“If you assume that the phytoestrogens have an effect, theoretically a large amount of bee pollen could also disrupt the menstrual cycle or affect the chance of pregnancy,” says the gynaecologist. “With a normal dose, it does not have to be harmful. But if young women are inspired by the videos and don’t immediately see an effect on their breasts, there is a risk that they will eat more bee pollen. Then it can have harmful consequences.”
“Our advice to pregnant women is not to consume too many isoflavones,” adds Eikenaar. “They can be found in soy, among other things, but also in bee pollen. An excess of isoflavones may have negative effects on the baby’s genitals.”
Social media
The gynecologist emphasizes ‘the power of social media’: the videos of the women have hundreds of thousands of views and likes. “I am amazed at how a few TikTokkers can make everyone’s head spin. Purely because of before and after photos that go viral, people believe it is true.”
But: “You don’t know the truth of what you see on TikTok. Perhaps someone has really experienced it, it is not impossible. But that’s an exception, not a rule.”
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2023-09-01 18:50:42
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